On April 18, 2009 a new snake claimed its territory in southern Ohio, and it bites hard. Diamondback opened at Kings Island in Mason, OH just north of Cincinnati this spring to incredibly long lines and extremely excited park guests. I was lucky enough to experience this brand new steel monster, and I can promise you that it does not disappoint! Although I did not get to ride in a prime seat like the front or back (I got stuck in the middle), the ride delivered beyond what I expected, and I want to share my ride with you.
At 230 feet tall, Diamondback is the tallest roller coaster at the park and makes a very visible impact on the park's skyline. This monster of a ride was engineered and designed by Bolliger and Mabillard (B&M for short), a Swiss duo responsible for some of the highest rated roller coasters on the planet and features their signature "box track" that dwarfs everything with its large scale. In fact, when you walk up to the ride the size of the track and supports make the ride seem shorter than it really is. Of course, that's not to say that it does not look intimidating, because it does, but the extremely large scale of everything really does throw off your perspective from the ground.
As soon as you get in line to wait your turn you will more than likely notice that the line almost never stops moving. B&Ms are widely praised in the enthusiast community for their consistently high capacity numbers, but the ride crew should not be forgotten, as they do a great job of making sure things run smoothly. While you wait in line you can watch the ride make its way into the final brake run after going through a splashdown pool where the train makes an impressively large "rooster tail" of water with a set of scoops that sit at the back of each train just beyond the final wheel assembly. This visual effect is impressive and eye-catching from anywhere around the ride area, and adds to the enjoyment of guests that opt out of riding and instead watch from the midway.
After watching the ride ascend the lift and go down the first drop and then see it return through the splashdown pool your anticipation is really starting to build. I know that seeing the kinds of seats and minimal restraints on the trains as I waited and watched definitely built up my excitement as well as a small bit of nervousness. When you reach the station you do not get to choose your seat, instead a ride host assigns a row to keep things moving faster. The ride also has a single rider line, which is meant to try and fill empty seats that are left by odd numbered groups, so if you visit the park by yourself I would recommend using the single rider line (although it does not always insure you of a shorter wait).
Once you take your seat you may be very unnerved by the extreme openness of the train, and I don't blame you. Even as a roller coaster enthusiast I was very much aware of the fact that I was basically sitting on a kitchen chair attached to a steel platform with a weight against my lap, and that I would be moving up to 80 mph on this minimalist setup! Another thing that you may notice is the lack of a seat belt, but there is no need to worry, as the lap bar is more than enough to safely secure you, and it also has the effect of adding to the thrill of the ride experience. After the ride hosts have checked and cleared the train, you are quickly going up 230 feet above the ground at a surprisingly steep angle, and the fun is about to begin.
The first drop is one of my favorites, as you move really fast over the crest, giving you a lot of airtime (that moment while you are actually lifted out of your seat and experience 0 or negative G-forces), and at the bottom the quick directional change really applies a lot of force. Diamondback features a total of five camelback hills, which are designed to provide the most airtime possible; and the five hills here do not disappoint. After the first camelback you move into what is called a hammerhead turn, which is a very tall overbanked turn around that usually delivers a lot of forces through the turn. Coming out of the hammerhead you get more airtime over the second camelback and then twist up into the midcourse brake run for a very brief moment to catch your breath before finishing the course.
Coming out of the midcourse you drop into a ravine and then shoot up into a pair of camelbacks for some more airtime before you twist to the right into an upward helix. After completing the helix you drop down into the splashdown pool and go upwards once more before hitting the final brake run. By this time you should either be speechless or screaming in enjoyment (and maybe some fear left over).
Diamondback is without a doubt one of the best new roller coasters for 2009, and I am saying that from personal experience. You owe it to yourself to make the trip to Kings Island for this new steel snake. Its one bite that you won't mind, and may even like enough to ride again.